The Mel Harrison sidecar national trial on September 16 has had undergone very mild facelift. The twenty mile one lap course centred on Pateley Bridge takes in Cockhill Mines then the grassy slopes of old Scott trial section Watergate then dives down across the Nidderdale valley and up to Brimham Rocks then looping back to Fellbeck and Norman Shepherd’s Kinsgtone Farm.
Numbers are low but the quality is high for the penultimate round of the ACU Luscombe Suzuki Leeds British Sidecar Championship on Sunday in scenic Nidderdale. Due to a date change to avoid a clash with the Nidderdale Agricultural Show, a major event in the Pateley Bridge area, only twenty one sidecar crews have entered.
The five Class A crews are just about level on points, Gray Flowers and Antony Smith stand on 122 points with Manx compatriots Adrian and Aaron Smith a point in arrears with Robin and Sam Luscombe poised with a bagful of points in hand. Lusky missed the first round because of a business trip to the Big Apple. Anything can happen with two events to run, including Sunday. Former champions Jon Tuck and Matt Sparkes entered on Tuesday. They won the Tuck Cross trial back in May. Rupert and Chris Kimber are making ground after two mechanical exits. Reading school grounds man Peter Dale and his landscaper passenger Barry Pocock (wonder what they talk about between sections?) are in the same position as Flowers and Smith, a point up on Tony Crabtree and Jamie Howe with Andy Scrivens and Martin Lawford a distant third. Phil Sparkes has not entered because his passenger Roger Tuck emigrated. Phil has 124 points in the bag but Paul Churchill and Kevin Parnell are locked with Robbie Head and Aaron Jacobs just a point apart. The other Manx threat, Michael Jewell and Graham Clark are one point down on Mark Kemp and Bob Chapman.
The Newcomers championship has been a wrap for weeks with Alan and Rosie Maynard the sole runners but they are in this weekend despite the miles of travelling. The route remains unchanged with Cockhill Mines and then down to Watergate before plunging down the hairpin road to the auction mart for a bite and a brew.
The road run to Brimham Rocks is about six miles then three miles back to Kingstone Farm where Pat and Norman Shepherd are the hosts at the final group. Some solos will run in the event and the Club will accept entries from anyone wanting a solo ride. Start time is 10.00 am.